Pyrimidine nucleosides are important antiviral agents. Increased attention has recently been focussed on these compounds with the FDA approval of 3'-azido2',3'-dideoxythymidine (AZT) as an effective treatment for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Since the synthesis of AZT utilizes the pyrimidine nucleoside .beta.-thymidine as a starting material, new methods for the low-cost production of this synthetic intermediate are also becoming important. The present invention involves an expeditious route to the O.sup.2,2'-anhydro-1(.beta.-D-arabinofuranosyl)thymine nucleosides, a class of compounds easily converted to the .beta.-thymidine derivatives. The synthesis of these anhydronucleosides is described in the following publications.
Japanese Kokai No. 81 49 398 laid open on May 2, 1981 refers to the synthesis of acylated arabinofuranosylcyclothymine compounds. The process of the Japanese Kokai requires that the iminoarabino[1', 2':4,5] oxazoline acid addition salt be acylated.
In an article appearing in J. Mol. Biol., 1970, 47, 537, the authors describe the use of a readily available amino-oxazoline carbohydrate derivative as a useful precursor to a variety of anhydronucleosides.
In an article appearing in Coll. Czechoslov. Chem. Comm., 1974, 39, 3177, the author reports the unsuccessful attempt to convert a 2-amino-.beta.-D-arabinofuano[1', 2':4,5]-2-oxazoline into O.sup.2,2'-anhydro-1-(.beta.-D-arabinofuranosyl)thymine.